The Hanging Tree
by Nickim010
Summary: She couldn't be more than sixteen years old but He knew what she was going to do as He saw her staying beside the tree with a rope in her hand.


**A/N This is a oneshot that I wrote because I was bored today. I want to inform you that English is not my first language and not perfect. And in the story I'm writing the word _he _with a big H all the time because you don't get to know that characters name, it's not a spelling error. I hope you like it. A/N**

It was an ordinary day in District 12, everybody worked hard for almost no money and over half of the population of ten thousands were starving. The families with children the age between 12 to 18 had it extra tough, because they were scared. In a few days, the reaping would take place and two unlucky children would be sentenced to their death. Two unlucky children from this district would be a part of the Hunger Games, sadly enough, the sorrow, starvation and fear was the usual in this world, but He was lucky. He was nineteen years old and could no longer be reaped, no longer be in the games. He was one of the lucky ones that survived and since He was the youngest in the family, they would no longer worry about one another, but not all families was that lucky. His best friend, gone. His cousin, gone. His brother's girlfriend's little sister, gone. But He, He wasn't gone, He was alive.

As He was walking home from the mine after a hard day's work, he decided to go to the meadow first, and pick a few flowers to His mother. As He walked into the meadow, He looked around. The wildflowers were both blooming and dying and the simple tree in the middle of the meadow was still there, giving the place a dark tone. The only thing out of the usual was that girl with blonde hair. She couldn't be more than sixteen years old but He knew what she was going to do as He saw her staying beside the tree with a rope in her hand. He walked closer to her and screamed;  
"Hello! What are you doing here!?".

"What do you think I'm doing? It's called The Hanging Tree for a reason you idiot", she said and He looked into her blue eyes. He could tell that she was from the town, while he was from the Seam. Why would a girl from the town kill herself, the town for the gods sake. When he was little he always dreamed of living in the town, and she didn't appreciate it.  
"I know that, but hanging yourself, isn't that too much?", He asked. Even if He didn't know her, He didn't want her to die.

"You don't know anything about me or my reason. It's not your choice, it's mine", she said with a mad tone in her voice. She was about to get angry.

"What are your reasons then?", He asked with a casual tone, not wanting her to get angry and hang herself as they talked. Even if He couldn't convince her to stay alive, He didn't want to see her kill herself.

"I think you know quite well what the reason are, it's the games", she said, saying the last part like if she was talking about the most disgusting thing in the world, and she did.

"What about the games?", He asked. Everyone was terrified of the games, but no one He knew would do that.

"My name is in the bowl eight times, I had to take a tessera to so that my parents would get more food. It's not like you understand that, I've seen you going to the mine two years straight, you're at least nineteen and doesn't have to worry about the games anymore", she said and sighed, like if she wished for something.

"You know nothing! You're just a spoiled little brat that 's going to kill yourself because of one tessera. Do you know have many tesserae I've been taking, no you don't. Last year, when I was eighteen, my name was in 67 times, I had to take two tesserae each year. But go in if you want, kill yourself, I won't stop you", He said with anger in his voice. She really knew nothing.

"But what if I'm selected?", she asked.

"Then you'll die".

"Okay, you're not making this any better".

"I'm telling the truth, but there is no guaranty that you'll get picked, but it is a guaranty that you'll die if you're going to kill yourself. If you kill yourself and then gets selected, nothing would change, you would be dead, but you would at least get a few more weeks of life. If you don't kill yourself and don't get selected, you'll live. But if you kill yourself and don't get selected, you would still be dead, for nothing", He said.

"I understand what you mean but I'm afraid, I'm afraid for it, not death in particular, but being killed by another person. When I die, I want it to be of age", she said.  
"Of course you want. Everyone in this district want to become old", He said.

"How did you do it", she suddenly said.

"Do what?".

"To live with the knowledge that your name was in there 67 times".

"I did it for my loved ones, my parents and my brothers. I did it for them, because if I wouldn't, they would be dead by now, by starvation", He said and looked her in the eyes. He didn't know why, but they looked more... sane. She nodded.

"I understand what you mean. I did the same for my parents, so we wouldn't starve. And you're right, it's just a dumb decision to kill myself, especially when I have the chance to live, when I'm not in the games. I thank you, if you didn't show up, I would be dead right now", she said and gave Him a thankful smile.

"You... you... you're we... welcome", He said, not knowing how to answer.

"You're weird, what's your name by the way?", she asked.

"Charles", he said and took a deep breath. "Charles Everdeen". She smiled at him and turned around walking away, but before she did, she said;  
"Well then Charles Everdeen. I guess that I'll see again sometime".

**A/N That was it. Was it good or bad and did you like their personalities? This is how I always pictured me their first meting, when I read the third book and Mrs Everdeen didn't like the song The Hanging Tree it felt like she was hiding something. This is also how I pictured young Mrs Everdeen. When she's scared, it's like she's shutting everything out, but her real self is kind of childish and mysterious. I hope that I pictures her right. And about the words tessera and tesserae. I don't own the books in English but I read that tessera is the singular form of the word and that tesserae is plural. Tell me if I'm wrong. A/N**


End file.
